Elia System Operator

Elia is Belgium's electricity transmission grid operator, in charge of transmitting electricity from the generators to local distribution system operators and large industrial consumers. An independent company, Elia owns 100% of all Belgian very high voltage network infrastructure from 150 to 380 kV and approximately (ownership and rights of use) 94% of Belgium's high voltage network infrastructure from 30 to 70 kV. Elia's network is a key link between France, the largest electricity exporter, and the North European electricity markets, as well as Belgium's generators and consumers.

Operating one of Europe's most reliable networks, The Elia Group had in 2004 total assets of €3.75bn and generated total revenues of €706m. Elia has a legal monopoly as the Belgian transmission system operator, appointed under a renewable 20-year federal government licence granted in 2002. The regional Flemish and Walloon governments have also appointed Elia as system operator for the 30 to 70 kV high voltage networks, for which they are competent. Elia is also de facto regional system operator for the 30 kV to 70 kV grid in the Brussels Region. It offers its customers transparent, non-discriminatory and objective access to the network.

APX

APX Group is a provider of power and gas exchanges for the wholesale market, providing transparent markets for short term trading in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Belgium. Established in 1999, APX Group provides exchange trading, central clearing & settlement and data distribution services. Entities that form APX Group are: APX, APX Power UK and APX Gas.

• APX is the Amsterdam-based exchange for anonymous, cleared trading in the day-ahead electricity via a supply and demand auction, providing the market with a transparent reference price.
• APX Power UK was established as Britain's first independent power exchange. APX Power UK offers an anonymous 24 x 7 marketplace for integrated trading, clearing and notification for spot and prompt power contracts and a trading platform for cleared forwards contracts.
• APX Gas is the gas exchange for short term trading, operating markets in the UK (On-the-Day Commodity Market and NBP), the Netherlands (TTF) and Belgium (Zeebrugge Hub).

APX B.V. is a 74.5 % subsidiary of TenneT, the Transmission System Operator in the Netherlands, and a 25.5 % subsidiary of Nederlandse Gasunie, the Dutch gas infrastructure company.

Powernext

Powernext, incorporated the 30th of July 2001, manages the European Energy exchange based in Paris. Endowed with an equity capital of 11 470 660 euros, its shareholders are among the major European experts of electricity trading and financial markets.

Powernext relies on a network of more than 50 members all major actors of the European energy markets including producers, end users, banks, brokers or traders and provides relevant hedging tools for cross-energy risk management. Powernext lists three complementary, transparent and anonymous markets on easy to access, straight through processing and reliable electronic platforms:

• Powernext Day-Ahead™ enables energy actors to hedge hourly electricity balancing risk 365 days a year.
• Powernext Futures™ performs hedging of electricity price risks and arbitrage strategy on a medium term with 3 years of maturities liquid products.
• Powernext Carbon provides a preferred risk management tool for European companies committed to the process of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and compelled to match their actual CO2 emissions with CO2 allowances according to the European Directive.

RTE

RTE is France's electricity transmission system operator. It was founded in July 2000, as a division of EdF, and is responsible for operation, maintenance and development of the French electricity transmission network. With a system which is the largest in Europe - 100,000 kilometres of high voltage and extra high voltage circuits, 44 cross-border interconnections and located at the geographical hub - RTE has played a key role in the development of the European power market. Since September 1, 2005 RTE is legally separated from EdF and its name changed to RTE EdF Transport.

TenneT

TenneT is the Transmission System Operator TenneT (TSO) in the Netherlands and manages the Dutch transmission grid. At the moment we manage the 380 kV and 220 kV grid throughout the country, and the 150 kV grid in the province of Zuid-Holland. Our grids connect all regional electricity grids with each other and with the European grid. In addition to grid management, TenneT monitors the reliability and continuity of the electricity supply in the Netherlands. We do this by making our transmission grid available impartially for electricity transmission and by ensuring the necessary balance between supply and demand in the Netherlands. Seen that the transport of electricity doesn't stop at our borders, TenneT cooperates with European TSOs.

TenneT is the independent and impartial market facilitator in the liberalised energy market. With its high-grade transmission grid and customised services it markets and develops a comprehensive range of transmission and system services as well as supplying services aimed at boosting the market mechanism and encouraging the development of a sustainable energy supply system. All these services are made available to the market on the basis of impartiality. TenneT is keen to take its development as a reputable TSO in the Dutch and Northwestern European market, as this would enable TenneT to be of optimum service to Dutch society.